Active and Passive Christians

 

Christian Life

Active	Passive
Open to new insights from the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit.	Believes what Christian leaders and authority figures say and refuses to think for himself or seriously ask God for deeper understanding.
Willing to learn new ways of understanding and applying eternal truth.	Holds fast to traditional thinking.
Personally seeks to learn more through personal reading and prayer, listening to other Christians and not only the leaders of his or her church.	Passively accepts what is preached and taught in his own church.
Able to read good Christian writing and learn from it, while not necessarily agreeing with everything.	Some passive Christians are not readers but others read the doctrine they are taught and accept everything without question.
Eager to discover and his or her unique calling and gifts and to use them for God with God’s help and guidance.	Tries to be a good Christian.
Expects and receives great blessings in private prayer, meditation and study.	Heavily dependent on meetings, services and conferences for blessings from God.
NKJ John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. Active Christians learn to know and recognise the communication of God to their own hearts.	Cannot distinguish between what preachers or leaders are saying and what God is saying.
Has a close personal relationship with God. Follow Jesus personally, knows Jesus as his or her personal pastor.	Follows Jesus mostly indirectly by following the example and teaching of other Christians, especially teachers and pastors.
Expects guidance from God to know how to pray and expects God to answer his or her own prayers.	Passively depends on the prayers of others for God to help. When a passive Christian prays, he copies the way others pray.